Avid Readers and their childhood...

[Sandy in Indy]

My mom read me bedtime stories until I could read for myself. Then I read...lots. It wasn't unusual for me to have 5 books going at the same time--I'd have one in all the rooms of the house!

 

I still read a lot--most of it is just pleasure at this point.

[peachskittles]

No, my father was too busy with work and my mother can barely read above a 4th grade level (that's just a guess). I do remember her trying her hardest to read to me. When I was little I brought home this really cool book and begged her to read it to me. She stumbled and stopped like every other word. I ended up reading it to her instead. I never asked her to read to me again. I was like 7 years old at the time. This also meant that there where no books in the house, so I grew to love the library. My grandmother also sent me old library discarded books since she knew that I liked reading.

[Giraffe]

I voted don't remember because I honestly don't. I started reading when I was a young 4 and I'm told I jumped into complex books quickly. Once I learned to read, most of my reading was by myself. I had books in every single room of the house and had them all going at once. One of my earliest memories is reading to my mom and dad and sounding out "father" - which prompted my parents to get up and have a conference out of my earshot. I was offended they left me, but looking back I think they just wanted to have a private freak-out that their four year old was reading at that level.

[HRAAB]

My dad read to me extensively until I was reading well on my own, and then I took over. Also, my dad was a very avid reader and our home was full of books which I believe also led to my sister and me being such avid readers.

[Blessedfamily]

No, my father was too busy with work and my mother can barely read above a 4th grade level (that's just a guess). I do remember her trying her hardest to read to me. When I was little I brought home this really cool book and begged her to read it to me. She stumbled and stopped like every other word. I ended up reading it to her instead. I never asked her to read to me again. I was like 7 years old at the time. This also meant that there where no books in the house, so I grew to love the library. My grandmother also sent me old library discarded books since she knew that I liked reading.

 

Something similar to this for me. The library became my haven.

[Guest]

We were read to quite a bit before we could read, and then less so after we could read. Our parents always encouraged reading and let us participate in summer reading programs/took us to the library/frequently bought us books.

[mom2abcd]

I read to myself extensively.

[KnitWit]

My Grandmother gave me a Nancy Drew mystery and I was off and never looked back.

[cdgni]

The author of Freakonimics (I forgot his name) says children having books in the house (not necessarily being read to, instead seeing their parents read) is what makes children become avid readers.

 

For me, I'm sure my mom read to us although I don't really recall. However, I'm equally as sure that she didn't read classics. I think it would have been simple material.

 

I answered moderately.

 

If my avid reader DD answered the question, she'd probably say moderately as well because I quit reading to her at age 6.5. She could read very well on her own and much faster than I could read to her. I would also say that she grew up listening to audiobooks.